Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-27
DUVAL, THE ANARCHIST.
The Latest Case in the Criminal
Court of Paris.
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.


Clovis Huges, wife Of the French poet
and Deputy, for Staying her slsnderer,
the Criminal Courts OF Paris have had no
other sensational case until this week.
History does not always repeat itself.
One cause celebre is rarely like another.
The case of Clement Duval, which has
just closed, is quite unique; II was the
trial of an anarchists and the noise Of it
will echo round the world.
Let the American reader make a care
full note of the essential facts, which are
these:
Madame HerbeIin, a French lady Of
property, lived in a handsome house,
which she owned, situated at No. 3, rue
| MOnceau. With her, as her chief COM
panion, dwelt her niece, Madame Made
leine Lemaire, well-known artist. In
summer and autumn the two ladies were
every wear in the habit of sojourning in
the country, leaving their elegant city
apartments, furniture and household
! effects in the care Of a neigh boring con-
cierge. On Oct. ) last during the ab-
sence OF the two ladies in the country
the house was discovered to be on fire.
Fortunately this discovery was made in
time to arrest the flames
AND TO SAVE THE BUILDING.
1t was then noticed that the piano, the
chairs and other articles OF furniture had
| been smeared with petroleum. 1t was
| further ascertained that the apartments
had been ransacked, drawers had been
broken open, closets had been plundered,
silverware, family jewels, gold medals
and various precious bijoux had been
| stolen, making total loss of about
$4,000. The valuables were, for the most
part, OF SO peculiar a kind that an accu-
| rate account of each one could be given
by the owners from memory. A descrip-
tive list was thus made, and copies of it
were sent to all the leading jewelers. of
| Paris; happy thought, which led to the
| detection and arrest of Clement Duval,
as the chief and incendiary, and of two
other men who acted as accomplices,
not in his robbery, but in his attempts to
| dispose of his ill-gotten treasures. These
| contederates or perhaps non guilty help
ers) were Didier and HOuchard. The
| brave policeman who succeeded in ar
resting Duval was Rossignol, whom
Duyal, in the struggle, severely wounded
and tried to kill.
There were thus three counts in the in
dictment against Duval-theft, arson and
| attempted murder.
What makes the case remarkable Is not
the character OF the crime, but the bold,
novel and startling defense urged by the
pr1soner-a defense SO astounding that
his pleadings on behalf OF the accused.
His defense was
THE RIGHT OF THE POOR
to rob the rich, doctrine which never in
the olden days OF Merrie England was
more audaciOusly stated by any high
wayman on Hampstead Heath than last
week in Paris by Clement Duval in the
COur d'AssiZes de la Seine.
Let the American reader who has late
L.. 1FX i'll,
other Anarchists nearer home enter this
Paris court room, and listen with as
founded ears to the 'twild and whirling
words" of this latest and loudest of the
roaring apostles whose creed is skill,
burn and destroy"
1t is a densely crowded room. The
court is under the Presidency of Berard
DIES GlajeuX. The prisoner Duvsl makes
no attempt to deny his triple crime. He
coolly admits every thing laid to his
charge. But, in order to lay an anchor
to winward, he invents an imaginary ac-
complete, who was his instigatOr and
master-spirit. This chief devil was Tur-
quais. 1t is Turquals who devises the
robbery, IL Is Turquais who possesses the
unrestOred plumber, il is Turquais to
whom belongs all the guilt, together with
the chief part of the glory of the great
transaction. So far as Duval himself is
concerned, he declares that he is not the
principal; he describes himself as a sim
pie private member of a group of Anar-
chsts; the theft which he committed is
Che alleges nothing but a restitution of
property from the wealthy to the indi-
gent; his own words are:
at is the right OF those who have moth
ing to take from those who have
PROPERTY To BE PREYED UPON"
81 think myself" said he to the Judge,
absolutely irreprOachable from the
point of view OF natural right"
When asked why he attempted to kill
the policeman, who was simply doing his
special duty in arresting him on a legal
warrant, Duval replied:
The officer grabbed me in the name OF
the law stabbed him in the name of
liberty"
You have been condemned for previ-
Gus crmesW
81 do not denyit.
"Had you long premeditated your rob-
berry OF Madame LemaireW
mot l."
"Whow
"rurquais."
"You speak Of this Turquais. but he is
q nonentity."
"Is it my fault if the police do not
know where to search for Turquais%'
why did you choose the house OF
Madame lemaire as the place of your de-
because Madame Lemaire was one Of
the collective mass of parasites-she
merited her fate"
"Issnniii.a. been locSsmith-you I'M
derstand ho"rop lex locks adrOitlyY'
"Ies, the workingman will not be en-
franchised until the day when he shall
no longer hesitate TO pick open the iron
sale of his employer"
Are such your sentiments?"
"Yes.v
"You cannot pretend to have been a
regular workman-you have too often
! changed your abode"
"Parbleu! 1t is my principle never to
| pay my landlord. This is because the
| proprietars always Cypress and live upon
the proletariat."
"You did not find any money in the
| houseW
"UNLUCKILY, NO."
and except for that circumstance |
would not he here. Just imagine il had
! found $1,000 francs in speciei A man can
do wonders with 10000 francsl But
failed to realize on the jewels, and by
this mishsp, you see, to what pass 1 am
! here broughtV
After the theft you prepared to burn
the house TO conceal your orimeP'
always. Turquais."
II